Identification key plate



Malkh 211929. c. LORBER 1,705. 5? IDENTIFICATION KEY PLATE 4 1 Original Filed Ma h 19, 1926 REWARD INVENTOR CLLorber ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED", STATES CHARLES LQRBER, or LOUISVILLE, xnivrUoKY.

IDENTIFICATION KEY PLATEQ Application filed March 19, 1926, Serial No. 95,875. Renewed February 2, 1929.

. The main object of this invention is to provide a key retainer in the form of a. plate having space thereon for identification.

Another object is to provide a key retainer i provided with key rings which may be rotated about their axis or swung from one side of the retainer plate to the other thru an arc of 180 degrees which permits the keys attaclied to the rings to be projected from one edge of the retainer plate so that they may be properly used without ii'iterferencefrom any of the other keys which are at that time not being used. This type of key retainer may be essentially applied under various conditions such as garages and the like and when lost, may be properly identified and returned thru the inscription thereon.

The above and other objects will become ap parent in the description below, in which characters of reference referto like-named parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the. key retainer, showing the key rings suspended therefrom. This view shows an obverse side of the plate.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of Figure 1, showing key rings rotated to various positions thereon.

Figure 3 is an elevational view as seen from the reverse side of the key retainer plate. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the blank used in forming the, key retainer plate.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view ofthe upper end of the key retainer plate, showing the modified key rings suspended therefrom.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of F igure 5.

Referring in detail to the. drawing, the numeral 10 indicates an elongated flat plate. This flat plate has rounded corners at its one end and at the end opposite to the rounded corners is enlarged across its width as indicated by the numeral 11. At the lower end of the plate, a circular opening 12 is formed. This opening communicates with a restricted slot 13. The opening is adapted to receive and have slipped therethru the head a nail or other similar means and the slot 13 is adapted to receive the shank of this means so that the entire plate may be readily suspended in secured posit-ion from a wall or the like. A pair of slots 14 and 15 spacedapart from each other extend longitudinally across the length of the large portion 11 of 05 the plate. The plate. originally is formed from a'fiat blank having an outline as indicated in Figures. The edge of the upper widened portion 11 is curled into a sleeve 16 which is elliptical and, has its major axis extending transversely across the. plate 10. The slots 14 and 15 are madelong enoughso that they will extend entirely around the sleeve and-permit key rings 17 and 18 to be swung from a position on one face of the plate clear around to lie in cont-act with the opposite face of said plate, as illustrated in Figure 2. The key'rings are composed of wire, circular in cross section, which have bulbous heads .19 enclosed within the sleeve, the shank of-the rings which extend from the heads passing thru the slots 14 and 15. To these rings 17 and 18, keys such as indicated by the nameral 20 are adapted to be suspended. In

Figure 1, the key rings shown are the pre ferred. type, having an elongated tapering loopv which extends upwardly and a hump intermediate the length of the shank at a position below the open end of the loop.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified type of key ring which is provided with'a' shank 21 integral with a bulbous head, such as indicated.

in Figure 2, and from the lower end, a circular loop 22 extends.

' The plate presents two surfaces which serve a double purpose of providing space for identification inscriptions-thereon and at the same time serve as a handle for holding a group of keys which are suspended from the sleeve.

The obverse face 23 of the plate 10 may beinscribed with the letters Owners number and Registered. The former maybe followed by a number identifying the key plate at a classification bureau, and the latter wordto designate that this particular key plate may be classified at abureau. The reverse face 24 0f the plate 10 is inscribed with the full information such as the name of the person owning the plate, the address of the same, and the information that a reward will be offered for the return of the plate.

The key retainer as described consists of a longitudinal plate having-a sleeve at one end. In order to suspend the rings so they lie in contact with either one or the other of the faces .of the plate, it is necessary to provide a sleeve as shown, in which the important characteristic is that an elliptical sleeve be formed which has its major axis extending Jtrans tained in the body of the sleeve suspended mlwslwe dmvnwardly. They may be rotated about the axis of the shank in the slots 14 and 15, or they may be swung from one face of the plate 10 to the opposite face, as illustrated in Figure 2.

It is to be noted that certain changes in form and construction may be made ithout departing from the spirit and scope of the in vention.

I claim 2- 1. A device of the class described comprising a longitudinal identification plate, an elliptical sleeve integral with one end of said plate, said sleeve having its major axis extending at right angles to the plane of said;

plate, the minor axis of said sleeve passing through the thickness of said plate to form said sleeve so that it projects the same distance from both sides of the plate, said plate having an opening at the opposite end of said plate and. a slot communicating therewith, said sleeve having slots extending entirely around the sleeve, and key rings suspended from said sleeve and passing thru said slots.

2. ,A device of the class described comprising an identification plate, means for hanging said plate, an elliptical sleeve at the upper end of said plate, said sleeve having its major axis extending transversely across said plate, the minor axis of said sleeve passing through the thickness of said plate to form said sleeve so that it projects the same distance from both sides of the plate, said sleeve having slots extending thruout the circumference of said sleeve, key rings comprising bulbous heads anchored insaid sleeve, shanks on the key rings integral With the heads and extending thru the slots in the sleeve, the key rings normally hanging suspended and in parallel to said plate on. both sides thereof, and closed loopsextending from said shanks for suspending keysfrom the rings.

3. A device of the class described comprising an identification plate, a sleeve integral with said plate, said sleeve being elliptical in outline and having its major axis extending transversely across said plate, the minor axis of said sleeve passing thru the thickness of said plate forming a sleeve which projects the same distance from both sides of the plate, key rings suspended from said sleeve, said elliptical sleeve permitting contact of the sides of the key rings With both surfaces of the plate, said sleeves having slot-s receiving said key rings, the key rings normally hanging in suspended position parallel to and in contact with either side of said plate, the key rings being rotatable and movable in said slots. 7

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

CHARLES LORBER. 

